Autopilot-equipped Tesla held liable, ordered to pay $1 million in fatal crash compensation
In a landmark decision, a Florida jury has found Tesla partially responsible for a fatal 2019 car crash involving its Autopilot system. The accident resulted in the tragic death of 22-year-old university student, Nyabel Benavides Leon, and left her boyfriend seriously injured.
The jury ruled that Tesla's Autopilot software had significant flaws, contributing to the accident. The Tesla Model S, operating in autonomous mode, struck a Chevy Tahoe parked at an intersection, traveling at approximately 100 km/h.
The crash occurred while Nyabel and her boyfriend were stargazing. The car owner ran a red light and collided with the SUV, causing Nyabel to be thrown over 20 meters. The defense accused Tesla of hiding or losing important evidence before the accident, but the court did not find this to be the case.
Tesla was ordered to pay $329 million in damages in this civil lawsuit brought by Nyabel's family. The court ruled that Tesla is 33% responsible for the accident. The lawyer for the victim's family accused Tesla of exaggerating its confidence in autonomous driving, while the defense argued that drivers should remain attentive when using the Autopilot feature.
This verdict marks a significant legal challenge for Tesla regarding the safety and liability of its autonomous driving technology. It comes at a time when Elon Musk is trying to convince Americans that his cars are safe. However, Tesla considers the verdict as "wrong" and believes it undermines efforts to implement "life-saving technology".
The court case is rare, with previous cases involving autonomous driving against Tesla having been dismissed [3]. This decision opens the door for other legal cases against Tesla regarding its autonomous driving systems [4].
References:
- New York Times: Tesla Faces a Rare Legal Setback Over Its Autopilot
- CNN: Florida jury orders Tesla to pay $329 million in fatal crash lawsuit
- CNET: Tesla Autopilot crash case dismissed by judge
- Reuters: Florida jury orders Tesla to pay $329 million in fatal Autopilot crash lawsuit
This verdict highlights a potential flaw in Tesla's Autopilot technology, as the jury ruled that the software contributed to a fatal 2019 car crash. The court ordered Tesla to pay $329 million in damages, stating that the company is 33% responsible for the accident.
